PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT OF KIN

US, 2022, 98 minutes, Colour.

 Emily Bader, Roland Buck III, Dan Lippert, Henry Ayres-Brown, Tom Nowicki.

Directed by William Eubank.

While the title says Paranormal Activity, there is no such activity within the film. Rather, there is a focus on an Amish family, later revealed not to be Amish, but having their own superstitions about the place of the devil in the world, Satanism, rituals to rid the world of the devil.

However, the screenplay was written by Orrin Pelly who contributed all the screenplays to the franchise, working with Christopher Landon who wrote for six of the film is.

There is a basic plot, a young woman finding that she was abandoned by her mother, being invited to come to a family to investigate her past. She comes with her friends, a camera crew, camera and batteries as well as camera phones.

The action takes place over a week with each day is signalled on screen. At first they are not welcome, then welcomed into the house, shown over the farm, details of Amish life presented. There is a patriarch, his taciturn wife, an old lady, the younger generation, especially girls, rather prim, and some children. And they have a contact, Samuel.

There are eerie aspects of the plot initially, which then moved to touches of terror, and, with the devils, touches of horror.

Fans of the franchise will be disappointed – but, as a Satanist film with handheld camera, it retains the interest.

1. The title, the writers and their contribution to the series? This film not having paranormal activity but Satanist superstitions and activities?
2. The American Midwest, open countryside, weather, snow, the Amish house, the huge barn, the church, the well? Musical score?
3. The Amish, their traditions? The revelation that this family was not Amish? Devil-preoccupation? Satanism?
4. Margot, her story, her friends, Chris and Dale, the contact with Samuel? Her story, her mother abandoning her, the visuals? The flight, the intention to make the documentary? Her wanting to find out about herself?
5. The succession of dates on the screen? The cumulative effect?
6. Travelling to the family, not welcome initially, the hotel, accepted by the family? Their rooms? Allowing the cameras in? The Amish style, no electricity, old ways? Farming, the barn, the milking of the cows, feeding of the pigs…? The adults, their clothes, hats, the women, reticent, hanging out the washing, the children playing?
7. Margot, the filming, the questions, learning more about her mother, the ethos of the family, her departure, Margot and her fate? Her working with Chris and Dale? The searching, the barn and the tour, going to the church, forbidden to go in? Later returning, finding the deep well, Margot going down?
8. The suggestions of some paranormal activity – but normal explanations?
9. Going to the shop, to buy the battery, the driver, his revelation about the family, Satanism?
10. The family, the theory, confining Satan, preventing the spread of Satan, the apocalyptic tone? The rituals in the church? The confrontation with the father, his falling down the well?
11. The eerie atmosphere, the devils, Chris going down, Margot, her rescue, Dale and the attack on him?
12. Confronting the devils, Chris and the car, the escape?
13. A variation on Satanist themes?